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Review
. 2017;6(2):148-156.
doi: 10.1007/s13668-017-0201-2. Epub 2017 Apr 29.

Baby-Led Weaning: The Evidence to Date

Amy Brown  1 , Sara Wyn Jones  1 , Hannah Rowan  1
Affiliations
Review

Baby-Led Weaning: The Evidence to Date

Amy Brown et al. Curr Nutr Rep. 2017.

Abstract

Purpose of review: Infants are traditionally introduced to solid foods using spoon-feeding of specially prepared infant foods.

Recent findings: However, over the last 10-15 years, an alternative approach termed 'baby-led weaning' has grown in popularity. This approach involves allowing infants to self-feed family foods, encouraging the infant to set the pace and intake of the meal. Proponents of the approach believe it promotes healthy eating behaviour and weight gain trajectories, and evidence is starting to build surrounding the method. This review brings together all empirical evidence to date examining behaviours associated with the approach, its outcomes and confounding factors.

Summary: Overall, although there is limited evidence suggesting that a baby-led approach may encourage positive outcomes, limitations of the data leave these conclusions weak. Further research is needed, particularly to explore pathways to impact and understand the approach in different contexts and populations.

Keywords: Appetite control; Baby-led weaning; Breastfeeding; Choking; Complementary feeding; Eating behaviour; Energy regulation; Infant; Infant-led; Introduction solid foods; Maternal; Maternal feeding style; Nutrient intake; Responsive feeding; Weaning; Weight.

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Conflict of interest statement

Conflict of Interest

Amy Brown, Sara Wyn Jones and Hannah Rowan declare they have no conflict of interest.

Human and Animal Rights and Informed Consent

This article does not contain any studies with human or animal subjects performed by any of the authors.

References

    1. Jones S. A history of baby-led weaning: the evolution of complementary feeding trends. Journal of Health Visiting. 2016;4(10):524–530. doi: 10.12968/johv.2016.4.10.524. - DOI
    1. World Health Organization, UNICEF. Global strategy for infant and young child feeding. World Health Organization; 2003.
    1. • Rapley G, Murkett T. Baby-led weaning: Helping your baby to love good food. Random House; 2008. This book overviews the baby-led weaning approach and examines its development. It provides an excellent overview and is the key text that many parents read.
    1. Palmer G. Complementary feeding: nutrition, culture and politics. Pinter & Martin Publishers; 2011.
    1. • Naylor, A.; Morrow, A. Developmental readiness of normal full term infants to progress from exclusive breastfeeding to the introduction of complementary foods: reviews of the relevant literature concerning infant immunologic, gastrointestinal, oral motor and maternal reproductive and lactational development. Academy for Educational Development: Washington DC, USA, 2001. This is a review paper examining the critical issue of developmental readiness for solid foods which examines the match between infants external ability to self-feed and internal readiness to digest solid foods.

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